Karuk

The Karuk lived along the middle Klamath River, among the steep mountains and forests of northern California. Their name means “upriver,” in contrast to the Yurok people farther downstream. Salmon returning from the ocean were central to Karuk life, as were acorns gathered from the surrounding oak woods. A spring ceremony welcomed the first salmon before people fished with dip nets, traps and weirs. The river joined villages along its course and carried fish into the heart of Karuk country.